Ben Eguzozie

Kano State has stepped up recruitment of mainly mathematics teachers, while neighbouring Jigawa has approved spending N869.6 million to rehabilitate its Tsangaya schools projects, as shortage of science, technology, engineering and mathematics handers hit most northern states.

For Kano, Governor Abba Yusuf has approved the recruitment of additional Mathematics teachers for deployment to all schools across the 44 local government areas of the state, according to the state commissioner for education, Ali Makoda, while inaugurating the distribution of admission letters to SS 1 students at the Maryam Aloma Girls’ Secondary School, Kano.

Makoda said, the decision was aimed at addressing the shortage of particularly qualified mathematics teachers in secondary schools in the state.

The education commissioner said the initiative was part of the state government’s commitment to ensuring free and quality education, as well as mobilising community support for the sector.

According to the Annual School Census (2021), Kano has 813 senior secondary schools, and 1,148 junior secondary schools. 

Governor Yusuf had introduced various reforms, including the recruitment of teachers, renovation of schools and provision of learning materials, to revamp the Kano State’s education system.

The commissioner said that state’s recent feat as the top-performing state in the 2025 NECO examinations was a result of the governor’s prioritisation of the education sector.

“The governor is working tirelessly to ensure that the right steps are taken to strengthen education in Kano. To address the shortage of Mathematics teachers, the Governor approved the recruitment of new mathematics teachers for deployment to schools across the state,” Makoda said.

On its part, Jigawa, is spending N869.6 million for the construction and rehabilitation of the Tsangaya schools, which will fund the renovation of additional structures in seven Model Tsangaya Schools, and construction of 30 recitation halls and 30 reading spaces across the Tsangaya schools.

According to Sagir Musa, the commissioner for information, youth, sport and culture, “this is to ensure the provision of one project per state constituency, the projects are expected to significantly improve access to quality Islamic education. It is also designed to provide conducive learning environments for Almajiri (pupils of Qur’anic school), as part of the Umar Namadi administration’s efforts to integrate Tsangaya education into the state’s human capital development agenda”.

In pre-colonial Hausaland, the Tsangaya school system was an Islamic-based educational systems that existed for several centuries and had produced leaders, scholars, businessmen, and government functionaries among others. It has been the source of moral and educational training for Muslim societies in Nigeria.

Musa said the state executive council also approved N1.54 billion bursary allowances for 22,388 returning students of tertiary institutions within and outside the state for the 2024/2025 academic session. He said the students were currently enrolled into 83 tertiary institutions of learning, comprising 13,622 males and 8,766 females.